Leinster head coach Leo Cullen expressed his satisfaction with Jordie Barrett’s debut performance as the club secured a dominant 35-12 victory over Bristol in their opening match of the Investec Champions Cup Pool 2 at Ashton Gate.
Barrett, the 27-year-old New Zealand back, joined Leinster from the Hurricanes following the November international window and will remain with the club for the remainder of the season. He was introduced at half-time as a replacement for full-back Ciarán Frawley, who left the field with a back injury. Barrett made an immediate impact, assisting the second try and scoring Leinster’s third.
“It was great that Jordie got 40 minutes,” Cullen said after the match. “Ciarán went off with a knock to his back at half-time, so it was an amazing experience to be able to bring him off the bench.” Cullen added that Barrett’s arrival at the club had required significant effort, and he is hopeful the player will play a key role in the upcoming season.
“We weren’t sure how we’d get him up and running, so it was sensible to have him on the bench as he figured out a few things,” Cullen explained. “Hopefully, he’ll kick on and go from strength to strength. When you bring someone from the outside, you want to make sure they add to the team.”
The match saw a tight first half, with the sides level at 7-7 at the break. Jordan Larmour scored Leinster’s only try of the opening period, while the second half saw Leinster surge ahead. Out-half Sam Prendergast kicked two penalties, while Barrett and Josh van der Flier crossed the try line to seal the victory. The win was particularly impressive given that Leinster had three players—Rónan Kelleher, Max Deegan, and Andrew Porter—sin-binned during the match.
Cullen reflected on the game, saying, “We are pleased to get the win. The second half was a lot better than the first. We got on the wrong end of a lot of calls, and the yellow cards led to a lot of pressure on us. But when it was 14 on 14, we scored three tries and played some really good stuff.”
He also highlighted the significance of the game for several players making their debuts in the competition, including Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Gus McCarthy, and Barrett. “It was a tricky fixture, especially with Bristol being one of the most cohesive teams in the Premiership at the moment,” Cullen noted. “They’re going well and will still be a threat in this tournament.”
Leinster will now turn their attention to their next match against Clermont Auvergne, who secured a 28-0 victory over Benetton. The two sides will meet at Aviva Stadium next Saturday.
